Target-trap.



G. L. CARTER. TARGET TRAP.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T. 131, 1912,

1,066,379. Patented July 1, 1913.

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G. L. CARTER.

TARGET TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED 00131, 1912.

1,066,379. Patented July 1, 1913.

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G. L. CARTER.

TARGET TBA?. ArrLIoATIN rnED'ooT. a1, 1912.

Patented July -1, 1913.

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lwill readily appear as the nature of the in- GEORGE L. CARTER, 0FCOLLEGEVIEI, NEBRASKA'.

TARGET-TRAP.

To all 'whom it mag/concern Be it known that I, GEoRGn L. CAR'rEIi, a.

citizen of the United States, residing at Collegeview, in the county ofLancaster and .State of Nebraska, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Target-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traps for throwing spherical targets, usuallyknown as clay pigeons, and it has particular reference to that'l classof traps which are provided with a pivoted throw arm moving about atilted or inclined axis.

One object of the invention is to produce a trap that maybe sprung andreset by a single movement in one direction of a push rod, the returnmovement of said rod being utilized for the purpose of placing thethrowing spring under tension.

A further object of the invention is to produce a vtrap that may besprung by a very limited movement of a push rod com stituting anoperating rod, the remainder of the movement in one direct-ion of saidrod being utilized to reset the tra A still further object of tlieinvention is to produce a trap the operating mechanism of which includesa rock shaft, the oscillatory movement of which in one direction suiicesto release the latch whereby the trap is sprung and also to return orrestoreV the throw arm to its set or latched position, the returnmovement of the 'rock shaft being utilized for tensioning the throwingspring, thereby producing a construction which is at once simple andeffective.

A further object of-,the invention is to produce in connection with theshaft or pivot member carrying the throw arm a buffer spring which isnormally inert but which, under the impact of the throw arm, becomestensioned, its force being expended to as sistin restoring the throw,arm to its set position.

With these and other ends in view which vent-ion is better understood,the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement andcombination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in thel claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of theinventio-n, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,

Specification of Letters Patent. Application led lOctober 31, 19,12.Serial No. 728,932.

Patented July 1, 1913.

but that changes, alterations and modiiications within the scope of theclaims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elcvatlon of the trap and the meanswhereby 1t is operated, the trap being shown tripped or sprung. Fig, 2is an enlarged side view,

'showing the trap set. Fig 3 is a side elevation of the opposite side tothat shown in Fig. 2, and showing the base of the trap in section. Fig.4 is a top plan view showing the trap set. Fig. 5 is a detailtop planview, the top plate having been removed.

Fig. 6 is a. sectional detail view taken on the lme in Flg. 3. Fig. 7 isa perspective detail 'view of the trigger and latch mech- Aanism andrelated parts.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

The frame of the improved trap consists of a substantially U-shapedcasting having top and bottom limbs 1 and 2 and a bridge piece 3 whichconstitutesV what willbe re- 'garded as the front end of the' frame. Theframe may be reinforced by a cross piece 4, or in any suitable andconvenient manner. Abase 5 is provided with which the frame is connectedby an approximately horizontal pivot member 6 extending through a lug 7that extends downwardly from the rear end of the bottom limb 2, thuspermittingthe frame to rock in an approximately vertical plane. A setscrew 8 is provided whereby the frame may be secured in adjustedposition. The base 5 includes a downwardly extending pivot member 9operating in a4 socket`10 having a flange 11 providedwith upstandinglugs 12 havingset screws 14, whereby the oscillatory movement of thebase in an approximately horizontal plane may be `limited and regulated.The top limbl of the frame is provided with a han dle bar .15 extendingrearwardly therefrom and whereby the frame may be adjusted andmanipulated.. It will be understood that in the operation of the trapthe frame is usually maintained in a tilted position, substantially asshown in the drawings, and that the degree of tilt or inclination may bevaried by rocking the frame about the axis of the pivot 6. The angle ofthe frame. longitudinally, may also be" easily and quickly changed byrocking about the axis of the base pivot. 9.

Supportedfor rotation in the `top and bottom limbs of` the frame and' atright angles to said limbs isa shaft 16 from which the throw arm 17extends radially, said arm having fixed connection with said shaft, andsaid arm being positioned adjacent t0 the upper face of thetop limb 1.The throw arm is provided with the usual target holder 18 which,however, is no part of the present invention. The shaft 16 is providedbelow and adjacent to the top arm 1 of the frame with a radiallyextending fixed arm 19 having a terminal eye 20. The shaft- 16 issurrounded by a coiled spring 21 which will be hereinafter designated asthe buffer spring. The upper end of said spring is vmade fast to 'acollar 22 that is fixed on the shaft 16 by means of a set screw or inany convenient manner. The lower end of the buffer spring is tixedlyconnected with a. collar 23 that is loose on the shaft 16, said collarbeing provided with an outwardly ext-ending lug 24 inthe ath of which astud 25, projecting upward y from the botto-m limb 2 of the frame, islocated.

The top limb 1 of the .frame is provided in its upper face and adjacentto its rear end with a longitudinal groove 26 wherein is seated al slideconstituting a latch 27, said slide being provided near its rear endwith a trip lug 28 overhanging the frame at one side thereof. The latch27, which is normally forced in a forward direction by the action of asuitably arranged spring 29, is provided at its front end with a catch30 adapted to engage a trip hook 31 that is fo-rmed or secured upon thethrow arm 17, the latter being thereby retained in set position, readyfor throwing.

The top limb 1 of the frame is provided adjacent to its rear end with alug or enlargement. 32 affording a bearing for a rock shaft Said rockshaft carries at one end a cam 34 which constitutes the trigger of thedevice and in the path of which the trip lug 28 of the latch 27 isdisposed. The rock shaft. 33 carries at its opposite end a crank arm 35which is connected with the arm 19 of the shaft 16 by the throwingspring 36. tei-mediate its ends with an arm 37 which 'may extend througha slot 38 in the bearing lug and which constitutes the push arm wherebythe trap is operated; said arm being provided with a spherical head orball 39 for the attachment of the push rod, as

i will be presently described. The throwing spring 36 is a stoutcoiledspring, the same being provided at the ends thereof with attachingmembers 40 and 41, the former of which is shown as being provided withan eye 42 pivotally engaging a wrist pin 43 on the crank larm 35; themember 41 is shown as being provided with a hook 44engaging the eye020of the arm 19 extending from the shaft 16, thereby establishingconnection between the latter and the crank arm 35.

The rock-shaft is provided in For the purpose of limiting the movementin a rearward direction of the push arm 37, and-the correspondingoscillatory movement of the rock shaft 33, a lug'or stop member 45,located in the path of the arm 37, is provided. Y

For the purpose of operating the improved trap a push rod 46 isprovided, said push rod being provided at one'end with a socket 47engaging the ball 39 of the push arm 37. The other end of the push rodis suitably connected with a hand lever 48 mounted on a lever stand 49.The push rod 46 embodies in the construction thereof a turn buckle 50for adjusting and regulating the length thereof, and a spring 51,yieldable in two directions, and whereby the push rod acquires a degreeof longitudinal resiliency, whereby the operation is facilitated andshock is avoided.

The parts of the machine are so con# structed and assembled that whenthe throw arm is latched, that is to say, when the trip hook 31 of thethrow arm is in engagement with the catch 30 of the latch 27, the arm 19will extend laterally from the frame, movement thereof in a rearwarddirection being prevented by the latching of the throw arm. Assuming thethrow arm to be latched and the throwing spring to be contracted, saidthrowing spring may now be placed under tension by moving the push rod46 in a rearward direction, thereby oscillating the rock shaft 33 andtensioning the throwing spring 36 by means of the crank arm 35. The lugor stop member 45 is so positioned as to arrest the movement of the arm37 in the path of which it is located as soon as the wrist pin 43 of thearm 35 passes a dead center, thereby retaining the throwing spring undertension. The trap is now set, and is ready to be sprung after a targethas been placed on the holder. Previous to springing the trap the angleof the frame may also be changed by manipulating the handle bar 15. Tospring the trap, the push bar or rod 46 is actuated to move the arm 37in a forward direction, lthereby oscillating the rock shaft 33. The cam34 which constitutes a trigger acting upon the trip lug 28 of the latch27 retracts the latter against the tension of the spring 29 until thecatch 30 becomes disengaged from the trip hook 31, thus releasing thethrow arm 17 when the force of the throwing spring 36 will immediatelybe expended in rocking `the Shaft 16 about its axis, causing thethrowing arm to traverse an arc of considerable extent and to dischargethe target. The rotation of the shaft 16 is partaken of by the spring 21which is connected with said shaft by means of the fixed collar 22,until the lug 24 of the loose collar at the lower end of the bufferspring is engaged and arrested by the stud 25. The impact of the throwarmis erations are performed almost instantaneously during the firstpart of the movement yin a forward direction of the Vpush rod 46. By thecontinued movement of said push rod in `a forward direction the rockshaft 33 is further oscillated, and the throwing spring, which is nowina contracted state, is utilized as a link between the crank arm 35 ofthe rock shaft 33 and the arm 19 of the shaft 16 to partially rotate thelat-ter until the throw'arm 17 is again latched, the latching beingperformed by beveled edge portions of the catch 30 and the trip hook 31contacting and pushing the latch 27 forwardly against the tension of thespring 29 until connection between the catch and the trip hook isestablished, when the latchwill be restored by the spring 29 to itsinitial position. When this has been accomplished the movement of thepush rod 46 in a forward direction will have been completed,

and it is now started on its return move# ment for the purpose ofplacing the throwing spring 36 under tension. When the .arm 37 contactswith the stop member n45, the wrist pin 43- will have passed a deadcenter, yand the throwing spring will thus be secured under tension, andthe trap 'is ready for a repetition of the operation. The returnmovement of the cam or trigger 34 causes it to engage the beveled edgeof thev trip lug 28, thereby displacing the rear end of the latch 27upwardly against the tension of the spring 29 until the cam assumes itsinitial position in advance of the trip lug.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a target trap, a throw device, a throw spring for actuating thesame,fa. latch mechanism for holding the throw device set for action,and means operating successively to trip the latch mechanism to releasethe latch and then to transmit motion through the throw spring to resetthe throw devlce for action.

2. In a ,target trap, a throw device, a throw spring for actuating thesame, a latch mechanism for holding the throw device setn for action,and means having a primary motion in one direction for tripping thelatch mechanism'to release the latch and a secondary motion .in the samedirection for transmitting motion through the throw spring to reset thethrow device for action.

3. In a target trap, a throw device, a throw spring for actuatingthe'same, a latch mechanism for holding the throw device set for action,and means having a primary motion 1n one directlon -for trlpplng thelatch mechanism to release the latch and a sec- 1 ondary motion in thesame direction for transmitting motion through the throwv spring toresetthe throw device for action, said tripping` and resetting meansbeing 'movable in a reverse or opposite direction to place the throwspring under tension.

4. In a target trap, a throw device including a shaft supported forrotation and an arm carried by said shaft, a spring for actuating thethrow device, a latch mechanism for holding the throw device set foraction, jmeans operating successively to trip the latch mechanismtorelease the latch and then to transmit motion through the throw springtri-reset the throw device for act-ion, a buer spring coiled about thethrow shaft and Xedly connected therewith at one end,

and stop means lying in'the path of the opposite end of the bufferspring.

5. In a target trap, a shaft having a throw arm, a throwing spring foractuating said shaft, latch means for securing the throw arm in setposition, and means for tensioning the throwing spring after thelatching of the throw arm, said means in- J-Icluding a rock shaft, armsextending therefrom, one of said arms havin a. wrist pin connected withthe spring, an located in the'path of the other arm to arrest movementof the'rock shaft when the wrist pin passes a dead center, thus securingthe spring under tension.

6. In a target trap, a throw arm supported for swinging movement, latchmeans forL said arm, a. throwing spring for actuating the arm, a rockshaft having a cam engaging the latch means to release the throw armwhen the rock shaft is oscillated in one direction, and an arm extendingfrom the rock shaft and connected with the throwing spring to place thelatter-under tension on the return movement of the rock shaft.

7. In a target trap, a throw arm .support-` ed for swinging movement, ashaft carrying tending arm, a rock 'shaft having a crank provided with awrist, a throwing spring connecting the wrist with the radial arm of the-throw sha-ft, means for oscillating the rock shaft to place thethrowing spring under tension, means for arresting the movement of therock shaft to secure the spring under tension, latch means engaging thethrow arm, means associated with the rock shaft for tripping thevlatchmeans to release the throw arm, a normally inert buffer spring coiledabout the throw shaft, and means for tensioning the'bufer spring underthe impact of the throw arm when the trap is sprung to start the throwarm on its return movement.

8. In a target trap, the combinationlwith a I stop means 4 said arm,saidshaft having a radially eX- throw arm and a shaft carrying the same,of a throwing spring 'ac uating said Shaft, a buffer spring. coiled uponthe shaft, means for connectin one end of the buffer spring with the shat, a collar loosely mounted on the shaft and connected {ixedly with theother end of the buffer spring, said collar having a. projecting lug,and a stop member located in the path of t-he'lug to engage the latterand to momentarilyplace t-he bu'er spring under tension when the throwshaft, is actuatedby the throwing Spring.

9. In a tar et trap, a throw shaft, a throw arm carried tllereby andhaving a trip hook, a slidable spring actuated latch having a catchdisposed in the path of the trip hook to engage the latter, said latchbeing rovided with a beveled lug, an arm exten ing from the throw shaft,a roc-k shaft supported for oscllationand having a crank arm,

a throwing spring connectino' the crank arm with the arm extending fromthe throw shaft, a cam connected with the rock shaft and adapted toengage the. beveled lug of the latch slide t-o actuate the latteragainst the tension of its spring when the cam inc vos; in onedirect-ion, a puslrarm extendingfro-1n the rock-shaft, a stop memberlocated in the .path of the push arm, fand means connected with the pusharm for actuating the rock shaft.

In .testimony whereof I affix my signa- WM. BAGGAR. H. HOUGH.

